Set-up pizza tray

ABSTRACT

A triangularly shaped pizza slice tray composed of paperboard generally includes an essentially triangularly shaped, planar floor region on which a slice of pizza may be positioned; a pair of opposing sidewalls extending along the opposing side edges of the floor region and scored at the junction of the floor and sidewall to permit the upward folding of the sidewalls; a pair of reinforcing tabs extending rearward from the sidewalls; a rear wall foldable about a score line extending along the junction of the rear edge of the floor and the bottom edge of the rear wall; and a reinforcing portion that doubles over the rear wall and is secured in position via a pair of tabs that engage slots defined at the junction of the rear edge of the floor and bottom edge of the rear wall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 60/622,674, filed Oct. 28, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to food holding cartons, andmore particularly to food holding cartons specifically adapted for usein connection with slices of pizza.

The fast food industry relies heavily on visually presenting samples offood product to the consumer. With restaurants that serve pizza, a sliceof pizza is generally placed on a plate or tray and placed behind aglass viewing window.

In addition, it is desirable for fast food restaurants to provide thepurchased food items to the customer on a durable and clean holder.However, it is also desirable that the holder be relatively inexpensiveas they are disposable in nature and it is important that the cost ofthe food not be increased dramatically as a result of the holder onwhich it is delivered.

Pizza is often delivered to the customer on a paper plate or foldingcarton. Paper plates are often not durable enough to securely hold thepizza slice thereon, and the cartons are generally have somewhat rigidsidewalls that make access to the pizza slice difficult.

It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the presentinvention to provide a durable pizza slice tray.

It is another object and advantage of the prevent invention to provide adisposable pizza slice tray that is inexpensively manufactured.

It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to providea disposable pizza slice tray that prevents the pizza contents fromfalling from the tray.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part beobvious and in part appear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the presentinvention provides a pizza slice tray composed of paperboard and that istriangularly shaped so as to conform with the shape of traditional pizzaslices, thereby not wasting excess material in its construction. Thepizza slice tray generally comprises an essentially triangularly shaped,planar floor region on which a slice of pizza may be positioned; a pairof opposing sidewalls extending along the opposing side edges of thefloor region and scored at the junction of the floor and sidewall topermit the upward folding of the sidewalls; a pair of reinforcing tabsextending rearward from the sidewalls; a rear wall foldable about ascore line extending along the junction of the rear edge of the floorand the bottom edge of the rear wall; and a reinforcing portion thatdoubles over the rear wall and is secured in position via a pair of tabsthat engage slots defined at the junction of the rear edge of the floorand bottom edge of the rear wall.

In its preferred form, the opposing sidewalls extend perpendicularlyupward from the floor of the tray. The reinforcing tabs that extendrearward form the back edge of the sidewalls fold inwardly and aresecured in position by the reinforcing portion of the rear wall thatdouble over and include tabs that engage corresponding slits formedthrough the floor/rear wall junction. The sidewalls' reinforcing tabsare thus positioned between the rear wall and the rear wall reinforcingportion. The leading ends of the sidewalls have a slight upward taper tothem that is apparent when the carton is fully constructed. The upturnedleading ends extend beyond the front end of the floor region and preventsauce, grease, or other liquid from easily flowing off the pizza, ontothe floor region, and out of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated byreading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank used to form the carton of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a constructed carton;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the carton;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the carton;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the carton;

FIG. 6 is a perspective photograph of the carton in a partially foldedconstruction;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer tolike parts throughout, there is seen a pizza slice carton, designatedgenerally by reference numeral 10, comprising a triangularly shaped,planar floor region 12, a pair of sidewalls 14, 16 extending upwardlyalong the side edges of floor region 12, and a rear wall 18 extendingupwardly along the rear edge of floor region 12. Carton 10 is preferablycomposed of paperboard or other durable, disposable material common inthe packaging industry.

Referring to FIG. 1, a blank of carton 10 is illustrated. Sidewalls 14,16 each include a reinforcing tab 20, 22, respectively, that extendrearward from the trailing edges of the walls. The leading ends ofsidewalls 14, 16 are conjoined and include a score line 24 bisectingthem and extending to the forward most point of floor region 12. Withreference to FIG. 1, score lines 26, 28 are formed at the intersectionof floor region 12 and sidewalls 14, 16, respectively. Sidewalls 14, 16are each foldable about score lines 24, 26, and 28.

Reinforcing tabs 20, 22 are each foldable relative to sidewalls 14, 16,respectively, about score lines 30, 32, respectively. Score lines 30, 32extend perpendicular to score lines 26, 28, respectively. When formingcarton 10, reinforcing tabs 20, 22 are positioned in overlying relationto rear wall 28 and are secured in position by reinforcing portion 34that extends from rear wall 18, as will be further describedhereinafter.

Reinforcing portion 34 extends along the upper edge of rear wall 18 andis foldable about a score line 36 that defines the upper edge of rearwall 18. A pair of laterally spaced apart tabs 38, 40 are formed onreinforcing portion 34 and are cooperatively positioned relative to apair of slots 42, 44, respectively, that are formed through the junctionof rear wall 18 and floor region 12. After reinforcing tabs 20, 22 arefolded inwardly from side walls 14, 16, reinforcing portion 34 is foldeddownwardly to double over rear wall 18, and tabs 38, 40 are securelyinserted into slots 42, 44, respectively, thereby securing reinforcingmechanisms 20, 22, and 34 in position. Thus, no glue or other adhesiveis necessary to form carton 10.

When carton 10 is formed, the nose portion of conjoined sidewalls 14,16, forms an upwardly turned spout 46. More specifically, spout 46extends along a longitudinal axis X-X that extends in intersectingrelation to planar floor region 12, and extends upwardly when floorregion 12 is placed on a relatively level horizontal surface, such as atable top. By spout 46 extend upwardly relative to floor region 12,sauce, grease, and other liquids common to pizza are prevented fromdripping off of carton 10 when its held in its conventional orientation,i.e., in a horizontal plane.

1. A pizza slice carton, comprising: a. a floor surface having aperiphery defined by a rear edge, and opposing side edges that extendforwardly from said rear edge to terminal front ends, said floor surfaceextending predominantly in a first plane; and b. respective sidewallsextending upwardly from said opposing side edges of said floor surface,said sidewalls and a portion of said floor surface collectively defininga spout that extends along a longitudinal axis that extends inintersecting relation to said first plane.